


The Legend of Anvar

by SatanSpawnedNougat



Category: Wings of Fire - Tui T. Sutherland
Genre: Alternate Universe, Animus, Animus Magic (Wings of Fire), Betrayal, Dragons, Dragons in love, Fan Tribe - Freeform, Fandom tribes, Fantribes, Gen, LavaWings (fantribe), NightWings (Wings of Fire), Original Character(s), Original Tribes (Wings of Fire), POV Original Character, Romance, SkyWings (Wings of Fire), lil bit of violence, no canon characters, some blood, tribrid
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2020-11-02 03:13:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20602880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SatanSpawnedNougat/pseuds/SatanSpawnedNougat
Summary: Born under the light of the three moons, a LavaWing hybrid crawls his way out of his egg. Both blessed and cursed with magical powers, Anvar has to struggle to find his place in the world and figure out the kind of mark he wants to leave behind and who he really is.Note: this contains fantribes and NO canon characters! It's an AU, my dudes x) It doesn't exactly follows the canon storyline either, I'm just doing my own thing honestly.





	1. The Eternal Flame

**Author's Note:**

> You can read about the LavaWings right here: https://aminoapps.com/c/lavawings/page/item/lavawings-fantribe/Nwjz_pKhWIa4VBDlmvpBmRRz8Ex2Vz3jdx
> 
> They're an opened fantribe so you can basically create as many as you want. Animus' etc are closed tho (I bought the right to it for my Anvar lol)

The light from the three moons streamed in the hatchery like molten silver, dancing off the red-black scales of a large dragon who had curled her scaled body protectively around her egg which was bathed in moonlight. Her yellow gaze was fixated on the glowing egg, looking for any cracks that might appear seeing as it would hatch very soon now. Her wings twisted in impatience, yet she didn’t move away. She would be damned if she missed the hatching day of her first dragonet. She owned it to Darkstrike - who would never be able to share this experience with her and would want her to protect their dragonet. 

The first crack appeared on the shell and Brightflame looked up. Seeing that single crack slowly spread across the shell made her almost feel nervous, wondering if she would be a good mother and if it wasn’t too early after all. With each crack that appeared like breaking ice it reminded her of a world ending in flames and chaos, and a new order rising out of the ashes. With her mate who used to be an Animus she had no idea what their dragonet would be like except for that he would be powerful… but would he force the world down on its knees, or lift it up beyond measure? She had no idea.

A harsh squeaking sounded from within the egg and it started to shake more violently. In interest, Brightflame lifted up her body and watched how the egg exploded apart in light and steaming hot smoke. She quickly lifted up her wing to protect her face from the flying shards and when it was over she folded up her wings again and looked down at her dragonet, who had already found his way on his claws and shook out his horned head, black smoke curling out of his nostrils. Carefully, she lowered her head and gently nuzzled him. The dragonet squeaked in surprise as he nearly fell over, but he kept standing much to her pleasure, albeit he gave her quite the heavy glare. “Oh, don’t look at me like that,” she told him, addressing him thoughtfully, “you need to be strong if you want to survive in this world.” 

He needed to get a name, she knew. Sitting up on her hind legs and folding her arms, black claws scraping over her chest, she looked down on him. She and Darkstrike hadn’t discussed a name just yet, both of them believing that it would come to them eventually. It didn’t go that way, and now it was up to her to name their hatchling for Darkstrike wasn’t around anymore. 

Much to her amusement, the small grey dragon copied her movements and also sat down on his hind legs, looking up at her with his clear blue eyes. He had nearly lost his balance as he did so, which prompted him to unfold his wings. While being fire-colored, they were larger than those of other LavaWings, she noticed, and had a silver-white starry pattern like that of a NightWing, a brilliant golden around the edges. Something he had inherited from his father. She studied him thoughtfully, hoping that a name would come to her as she did so. Flame? No, too ordinary. Firestalker? Deathdancer? She shook her head to dismiss it, puffing out smoke and growling in irritation which made the dragonet tilt his head. That was when she caught sight of his belly. She tilted her own head. The underbelly and throat of her dragonet was fire-colored and starry just like his wings, but the colors seemed to move around and pulse as if he had literal fire coursing underneath his scales and trapped within, showing through his underside. “It’s like you have an eternal fire burning within, my little one,” she stated aloud. 

That was when something clicked and Brightflame’s tail slammed against the ground in triumph. The dragonet’s eyes widened ever so slightly at that. She lowered herself on her stomach so that her burning yellow eyes were on the same height as the dragonet. And she said, “How about Anvar for a name? It means eternal flame.” 

The young dragon did not answer her, yet he didn’t look away, fiercely meeting her gaze with a stubborn set in his muzzle which he definitely inherited from her. Brightflame nodded, her mind set. “Anvar it is then.”

~~ 

A grey dragonet laid with his stomach on the floor, tail swiping the air as he narrowed his clear eyes in concentration. And then he jumped; claws outstretched and muzzle wide open. He landed on Brightflame’s tail, sinking in his still small claws and teeth as he tried to hold on and submit the tail to his will. Brightflame easily shook him off with a swipe from her tail and watched in amusement as Anvar kept on trying to catch it. 

“You gotta be faster than that, Anvar,” she told her young, who was slowly starting to get irritated. With a huff Anvar sat down, turning his mother his back and curling his tail around himself. A small creature landed in the cave’s entrance and the dragonet’s head perked up in interest as he slowly crept closer under his mother’s watchful eye. He tried not to put too much weight on his feet and to move soundlessly. Just as when he tried to catch the tail, he jumped and caught it. 

Carefully Anvar peaked between his claws at the now trapped animal. It was a blue butterfly who had somehow ended up in the LavaWing Kingdom. He had never seen one before. Anvar’s ears twisted when he felt the butterfly’s wings flutter against the inside of his claws. He was being cautious with his fire claws, so he wouldn’t turn the animal immediately to ashes until he was done inspecting it. He removed his claws, but before the startled animal could fly away he pinned it again with his talons; ripping off one of its wings and being baffled that it was still alive. He swiped his tail and made some biting motions at the butterfly, jumping around it and growling softly. 

Anvar pulled himself up on his hind legs and opened his muzzle wide. His stomach glowed up from the fire within and he shot out a column of boiling hot lava towards the butterfly. The animal caught flame and turned to ashes within seconds. Anvar sat on his hind legs for a while, staring at the ashes and tilting his head. Sinking back on all four of his paws he suddenly got picked up by his mother. “_Hey_!” Anvar called out when Brightflame took him in her mouth to carry the dragonet away. “Put me down!” 

“Don’t go spewing your lava all over the place. I told you so often,” Brightflame said with a frown, talons clicking against the ground as she walked deeper into their home. “Bedtime for you, Anv.”

Anvar’s ears dropped.


	2. Inheritance

Magma streamed in the lakes nearby as the air was impossibly hot and seemed to tremble from the heat emitted by the volcano. A young LavaWing hybrid was comfortably curled up on top of a large smooth rock; the rock basically glowing orange and golden from the heat. Anvar yawned once and stretched out his flexible body, popping his muscles and flaring out his immense wings. 

A gust of wind reached him and he tilted his head, glaring up at the larger dragon who had appeared above him and was prepared to land. The sunlight shone through her wine-red wings and reflected off her black and fiery red scales. Brightflame landed before him, folding up her wings, and she gave him a grin. “Nice look you’re having there,” she commented proudly. 

Anvar rolled his eyes. “What do you want?” He yawned, just wanting to go back to taking a nap on his rock. 

“It’s time for a flying lesson, so get off that rock and take to the air.” 

Scoffing, Anvar looked at her like she was stupid. LavaWings weren’t supposed to fly yet at his age! Brightflame seemed to read his face for she added, “You’re part SkyWing, and SkyWing dragonets can fly before the other tribes.” Anvar could tell that she had a point. While by size he was about the same length as the other dragonets his eye, yet his wings were larger and more developed. It would make sense that he had to fly soon for otherwise his muscle growth might not keep up with his wings. 

“Very well, I can try,” Anvar agreed, standing up and rolled his shoulders as he unfurled his wings; his sparkles like golden stars trapped in a sea of flame. He gave his wings a look over his shoulders and flapped them once as a practice.

‘_I’ll show her_,’ he thought to himself, blue eyes scanning the cliffs and rocks he was surrounded by. He took a step back and ran, jumping towards the cliffs and hanging on with his strong claws. He easily pulled himself up and looked down at Brightflame who gave him an expectant look from below. A thought reached Anvar’s mind, a thought he knew wasn’t his own, about how he would most likely fall and hurt himself. For no one could fly with the first try. 

His chest puffed up in annoyance and he stretched his wings out as far as they could go. He stepped back until his tail stopped touching the cliff and swiped the air. He couldn’t go back further. He lightly bended through his paws and flattened his ears. ‘I’ll prove her wrong. I will do this and I will succeed. My wings are strong enough. Do not fear.’ And then he was running. And then he leaped into the air and he beat down his powerful wings as he tried to pull his body up, black smoke steaming out of his muzzle and curling towards the sky like fearsome claws about to reap life itself. 

And then he soared. Well, kind off. He stayed up in the air and managed to fly a few feet, but then he started to fall down. Anvar managed to break his fall by getting a grip on the hot air currents and using them to glide down instead. He managed to NOT fall on his snoot as he landed. A scowl formed on his muzzle and he dropped his ears slightly, wings draping over the ground and trembling from his first flight. Yet when he looked up, his mother seemed impressed.

Brightflame stepped closer and covered her young with her wing. “You did well,” she whispered. “Most dragonets cannot glide like you did, that takes a lot of practice.” 

“But I didn’t fly!” Anvar protested, stepping out from under her wing.

“No one can at first,” Brightflame booped his snoot and Anvar’s nose twitched, “but keep practicing and you’ll be the best flyer of the entire tribe in no time with those wings of yours. That’s _my_ kid for you.” 

Ruffling his wings, Anvar folded them against his body, looking away from his mother. He knew one thing for sure; he would beat them all and rise to the very top. He would see to it one way or the other.

~~

The entire tribe was asleep, except for one stubborn dragonet. Anvar had climbed his way to the top of the volcano, steam erupting in the sky behind him as he looked down on his village and the Royal palace of the Queen. He stood there huffing and puffing from the climb up the volcano. He had spent the entire night practicing and flying, determined not to rest until he got it right. And then he got the idea to climb to the top of the volcano and jump from there in a last desperate attempt. 

There he stood, catching his breath and about to jump. The young LavaWing looked at the volcano under his claws. The LavaWings honored the volcano of their island and sacrificed gifts to it, believing that they would receive great gifts in return one day. His mother had told him about it in wonder and Anvar kept quiet but part of him thought it was rather ridiculous. A volcano was a death thing, there’s no way it would bring gifts, if it would bring one thing it would be fire and smoke. He huffed and turned back around, and he jumped down all at once with the wind howling past and trying to rip his wings off his body. He clenched his jaws and furiously beat his wings against the morning air, and then he was actually flying. 

A triumphant grin formed on his muzzle as he found the right currents to help him stay up. His underside glowed up fiercely, shining brighter than the rising sun on his back. 

‘_I did it._’

~~ 

_A few days later_. 

“Anvar, get back here!” Brightflame roared, flapping her wings to try and catch the smaller grey dragon. 

“Nope,” Anvar simply replied, folding his wings to dodge Brightflame’s claws as she desperately tried to catch him. “Flying is too much fun.” 

“It’s time to go to bed. The sun has set hours ago.” Anvar knew that his mother had a point; the moons and stars were already out and shining brightly above them, but that didn’t mean he wanted to. He felt free and save in the sky, with the world expanding below him as if he was meant to own it all one day, like he was born to be there and was created to be a true creature of the skies. Just like the SkyWings he inherited his mighty wings from. 

“But I’m a NightWing! Why should I go to bed during the night?! It doesn’t makes sense!”

“You’re only _part_ NightWing!” 

Sharp teeth suddenly bit down in his purple-black tail and he screeched loudly and more highpitched than he would like to admit. Brightflame had gotten him and swiped down towards the ground with her dragonet’s tail clamped in her jaw. Anvar tried to fight her, but he was still too small to successfully free himself. He landed on his back and was pressed down by a huge claw on his chest and his mother glowering down on him. “Do we seriously need to do this every night?” Brightflame sighed.

“Not when it rains or the sky is clouded,” Anvar helpfully pointed out. Brightflame gave him an unamused look. “Can we at least watch the stars for a little bit longer? I promise I go to sleep soon!” 

Brightflame looked up at the sky. It was indeed a beautiful night and the stars shone bright and fiercely. “Very well, but only for a little bit.” She removed her paw from his chest and Anvar jumped out, shaking himself out and properly folding his wings this time. He sat down next to his mother and looked up. 

“You know what would be crazy?” He asked absently, the stars reflected in his eyes. A moth flew past and he followed it with his eyes for a while before focusing on the stars again. 

“And what would that be?” Brightflame questioned, laying down and watching the stars with her young. 

“A flying _rock_!” Anvar announced loudly, standing up and jumping around her mother who watched him in amusement. “Just imagine, a rock randomly flying up towards space and returning to the Rock Kingdom on the moon!” 

“There is no Rock Kingdom on the moon,” Brightflame laughed. 

Anvar huffed. “There is now!” 

Brightflame was the first who noticed it. The sparks of Animus magic around Anvar. A small rock somewhere behind him started to tremble, before shakily floating up and hovering above the ground. Anvar, noticing his mother’s shocked expression, turned around and saw the rock as well. He gasped. “You lied. They CAN fly!” 

“No, Anvar. YOU are doing that.” At Anvar’s not-understanding expression, she elaborated. “You’re an Animus. It means that you can enchant animated objects and living beings to basically do whatever you want.”

Anvar’s eyes widened drastically. Meanwhile, the rock floated up higher and higher until it completely disappeared from view. It was enchanted to travel to space from the fantasies of an Animus dragonet.

“Your father was an Animus as well. It’s something you must have inherited from him. But you must be careful with it. Use your powers too much and you will lose yourself.”

~~ 

’_You will lose yourself.’ What does that even mean_? 

Grumbling under his breath, Anvar kicked away a small rock and watched it roll away. So it basically meant that he had all those awesome powers and couldn’t even use them? That sucked big time.

Some laughter reached his ears and he looked up. It came from behind a rock formation. Going over towards the sound, his head peaked out from behind the rocks and he saw a handful of LavaWing dragonets playing a game of some sorts. Anvar’s ears perked up and he stepped closer, about to ask them if he could join but he stopped. Other dragonets never wanted to play with him before because he was different and not a fullblood LavaWing. He was the combination of three different tribes. What would make this time any different? Why would they want to play with him now? And he couldn’t help but remember what his mother had whispered to him a long time ago. ‘Don’t rely on others to much. It makes you weak and ‘friends’ will only betray you when it suits them.’ But was that actually true? He looked at the dragonets. One of them fell to the ground and the others helped her up before they continued their game. They seemed to be having fun. 

He figured he could at least _try_. 

So he stepped into their line of sight. The other dragonets stopped in their tracks and Anvar found five pairs of eyes focusing on him. “What are you doing here?” One of them asked, curling up her lips to show sharp teeth.

Anvar gulped but stayed firm. “Can I play with you guys?” He asked them. 

“No way!” Another said. The biggest of them all. “Like we would allow an abomination like yourself to join us!” 

“I’m not an abomination!” Anvar called out, getting defensive himself. “I’m a LavaWing just like you are.” 

The dragonets gave him disbelieving looks. “Then why are your wings so large?” The smallest said. 

“And what’s up with those sparkles? It looks weird!” 

“You’re not a LavaWing, you’re a stupid halfbreed!” They laughed at that and Anvar’s ears dropped. 

“Wait, I heard that his father is a halfbreed as well. So he’s from three tribes!” One of them pointed out. 

“Then he’s even worse than a halfbreed! You don’t belong anywhere!” The leader announce loudly. “So get away from us before I kill you myself to do the tribe a favor.” And then he jumped at him, firing boiling lava at Anvar’s face. 

Anvar saw the attack coming - having seen it in his mind - he jumped out of harms way. “Hey!” He called out, narrowing his eyes and baring his fangs as his underside started to blaze up from the eternal fire within. A claw connecting to his face, drawing blood and slamming him away. Anvar’s head connected to the ground as stars basically exploded within his body, and he saw stars whirling around for a while. Something within snapped, furiously coursing through his veins and rampaging through his body. Anvar lifted his head and stared blankly at the dragonets who were all walking over towards him; most likely to finish them off. The ground trembled and the air shook from raw power. 

_They actually want me death. Is there anywhere I actually belong_? 

Numbly he stood up, ignoring the trembling under his claws and he shot them a murderous look; eyes ablaze with a barely contained fury as a trail of dark blood trailed down his face. The dragonets actually took a step back, noticing the magic around their chosen victim and realizing that they were fucked big time and we’re screwing around with the wrong dragon. “Anvar…” one of them tried to say, but Anvar roared furiously and removed the barrier on his powers, unleashing it all at once and unable to hold it back for much longer. Cracks appeared in the ground and fire spew out and the cliffs crumbled apart, rocks falling down. All enchanted to do so. Right on top of the now screaming dragonets. Their leader tried to move out of a way but a large boulder crushed his wings. A loud snap sounded through the air, which is what brought Anvar back to his senses.

The trembling stopped and he stood amidst the chaos he had made, breathing heavily. Created within seconds. Flapping wings sounded and Anvar looked up, startled, to see an adult LavaWing fly in the direction of the Queen’s Palace. 

Someone had spotted him use his powers to kill other members of his tribe. 

Blind from shock, Anvar turned around and flew home as fast as he could.


	3. Curse within the blood

Anvar didn’t made it home.

Not because he was caught, but because he saw it. His mother would defend him from the Queen’s Guards and she would get in trouble as well. Anvar didn’t want that, so he turned around and flew another way, towards the Secret Caves. He couldn’t hide forever, he knew that the guards would find him, but he could at least buy enough time. At least enough for the trembling in his body to stop.

He flew as low as he dared, the pointy rocks below almost poking his underside. When he reached the caves, he curled in on himself and gingerly placed his tail over his snout. He closed his eyes and clutched the rocks with his claws.

Anvar was an Animus just like his father, Darkstrike, who according to his mother was a terrifying dragon before he met her. He wasn’t entirely sure how his father died, but he thought it had something to do with him breaking an ancient LavaWing law. So his wings were bound and he was tossed in the volcano to pay for his crimes, burning alive. And he was Darkstrike’s son. What if he only inherited the evil side of his father?

Huddling his wings around himself, he folded them over his head until it looked like a fiery night sky had fallen down onto the world below and covered everything in its clutches. Would he even be able to stay in the LavaWing Kingdom? Would he get banished now? Where would he go? A tiny whimper left his mouth. The beating of wings sounded and huge claws scraped against the rocks before him. Anvar flattened his ears and stayed put.

“Come with us, dragonet. Queen Coulee has summoned you,” a ruff voice growled. Anvar looked up and met the scarred face of the guard. He gulped once but stood up, knowing it would only get worse if he disobeyed. He tried desperately to push the images of the future out of his mind, he didn’t want to see that right now. He went over towards the huge guard, noticing two more standing at his sides. All of them staring at him with their burning eyes, their thoughts even more hostile than their expressions. One of the guards stepped forward and threw a chain around his neck, preventing the dragonet from escaping.

_I wasn’t planning on doing so either way._

At that, the dragons set off into the sky and Anvar followed, not having much trouble with keeping up with the much bigger dragons thanks to his large wings. He had never met the LavaWing Queen before, he had only heard of her. He wondered how it would go.

~~

He was bought into a throne room within the volcano with high walls, he had looked up but was unable to see the ceiling in the dark. The heat was smoldering, pulsing magma flowing down the walls into a river of fire. Large statues of dragons were sat at the entrance and at the back, towering and snarling. The walls were decorated with thick chains and fire burning everywhere to engulf everything in a red light and casting large shadows. A dark throne was in the back of the room, with two other statues next to it - those crowned and graceful - and a few guards positioned before it. On the throne laid a dragon, larger than Brightflame and decorated with gold and precious gems to indicate her wealth and power. The black dragon’s burning gaze was already addressing him thoughtfully and she pulled herself up when the guards who had bought him shoved him towards her.

Anvar tried to carefully taste towards her mind, but he bounced against an obsidian wall protecting her thoughts. He pulled his own consciousness back quickly, afraid she might have noticed. But just like earlier, Queen Coulee’s expression didn’t show anything. As passive as the stones the walls were made out of. He quickly folded his talons before him and bowed before her.

“Is this the Animus?” Queen Coulee spoke. Anvar didn’t need to look up to know that her scorching red gaze was looking straight at him, as if she could peel away his scales to see what he was made from within.

“He is, Your Majesty,” one of the guards said, “he’s Brightflame’s dragonet.”

“Brightflame,” the Queen repeated, “that means that Darkstrike is his father.” She growled out his father’s name in such a way that it was clear to Anvar she didn’t like him much. He forced himself not to cower. Wings rustled and then the Queen landed before him. Blinking, Anvar looked up. “Do you know what you did?”

Anvar met her gaze. “I…” He said, “I used Animus powers and killed members of my own tribe.”

The Queen’s expression still didn’t show anything, making Anvar feel somewhat nervous. He wished he was back home, curled up under his mother’s wing and listening to her stories, instead of standing before this Queen whose mind he couldn’t reach. “How are those dragonets doing?” The Queen asked her guards without looking away from the young Animus.

One of the guards bowed. Anvar already read the answer in his mind before he spoke aloud. “They are in the infirmary, Your Grace. They are in crucial condition but the Healers are positive.” But Anvar also heard something that he didn’t spoke aloud. How one of them would never be able to fly again, because of the boulders having crushed and destroyed his wings. Crippling him forever.

“So it seems like you got lucky and didn’t kill anyone,” the Queen stated, a flash of relief crossing her expression. It was gone so soon that Anvar thought he might have imagined it after all. “Come with me,” she said, signaling him to follow her with a twist of her long tail. The Queen turned around and disappeared down the hall, with Anvar doubtfully following her. A few guards slipped after them, silent as shadows, but not intervening or disturbing them.

“Your power probably came from your father, but you’re not the first Animus we’ve ever had. LavaWings have had Animus dragons for many generations, yet you are the only one of this generation,” she told him, shooting him a look. “Do you know the rules of magic within this tribe?”

Anvar shook his head. He didn’t trust his voice.

“Magic can only be used for the benefit of the tribe,” the Queen told him, casting a look at the walls around them. Anvar dared himself to look up as well, facing the LavaWing history as portrayed on tapestries. Those who had done great heroism… or great evil. They all got immortalized on those tapestries so that the future generations of LavaWings wouldn’t forget what those before them have done. And now they hung in the Royal Palace, guarded by the Queen. He had never seen them before - as had most - but he liked their idea… he had sometimes dreamt that he would be on it himself. But Anvar was no hero-material, he had always known that, and so he had shaken it off even at such a young age. The Queen’s voices called him out of his thoughts while they went past the history of the tribe. “Do you understand? Because no one died, and it was most likely self-defense, I will let it slide with a warning.” She pinned him under her burning gaze again. “But be sure that it won’t happen again. I might not be as merciful next time.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Anvar said with a bow. His talons were shaking lightly.

“Be sure to gain control over your magic. And if possible, never use it at all,” Queen Coulee added, her expression unreadable as if she were elsewhere with her mind, “once your soul is lost… there is no fixing it.”


	4. Under the stars

Anvar stretched, unfolding his huge wings as he stood at the entrance of his own home. Now an adult, Anvar lived on his own in one of the quieter parts of the village. He tilted his head up to watch the stars and moons. One of the moons was full and the light seemed to be calling out to him; making his blood and he stretched one of his talons out as if he could grasp it, the light shining on the silver scales by his eyes.

Shaking his head, he jumped into the sky, sailing over the mostly sleeping town. Brightflame told him that it might be thanks to his NightWing blood - a mostly nocturnal tribe - but Anvar really _did_ love the night. He always stayed up most of the night and went to sleep a few hours before the sun would rise, where he proceeded to sleep until the moment the sun was at its highest point. Which wasn’t always visible on the volcano island of the LavaWings, but somehow he just _knew_. But tonight was a rare clear night and the young Animus planned to make the most out of it.

He went towards the Mystical Garden, planning to take a scroll and find a place where he could gaze up at the moon and read in peace. A bag containing scrolls thumped against his chest as he flew and he held it still with one of his talons. His large wings beat against the air as he flew over the wall and he descended once the Garden came into view. When his talons touched grass he curled them into the ground and closed his eyes in content. Anvar did not mind the lava and ashes of the town, but the Garden also held something that wasn’t found anywhere else on the island. Nature and flowers and animals! Those weren’t found on the rocky terrains and within the lava rivers. He shook his head and walked the path he walked often as he gazed around himself at the green surrounding him.

The flapping of wings caught his attention and he looked up, blinking.

_There was someone else in the Garden with him_.

That was odd. He spends the majority of the nights alone for the tribe was generally asleep. Except for patrolling guards maybe, but they rarely went all the way to the Garden. So why was this one dragon awake and here? Shrugging his wings, Anvar walked over, keeping his steps light and gentle so he wouldn’t startle the other dragon too much. He pushed branches and leaves out of the way until he stood next to a lake, hidden by the shadows of the trees and the night. And he gazed over the water at one of the most beautiful dragons he ever gazed upon.

Her scales were a dark violet and pale horns curled gracefully above her head. The other dragon had her talons in the water and appeared to be washing something that sparkled in the moonlight. She adjusted her wings and Anvar caught sight of the purple, black membranes; colored like the universe itself. And then he recognized her with a start.

_This is the princess! Princess Titania_!

Anvar looked around, at the shadows between the trees. Half expecting guards to burst out from within the darkness to protect her with their very lives if needed. He had seen her only once before, on a pedestal next to Queen Coulee during a ceremony to honor the volcano they lived on. Both of them richly decorated with precious gems and gold. That was from a distance, he had never seen her so up close. Without any jewelry. He watched how she took out the object she had been watched and he recognized the shine of silver. She put the bracelet back around her arm and watched it for a while before she looked up. Anvar looked straight into purple-green eyes, sparkling like stars.

They looked at each other for a while in startled silence until the LavaWing princess seemed to realize she wasn’t alone at all and shrieked. But she didn’t fly away as he half expected and instead went right at him, her purple scales a blur in the moonlight. And then she stood right in front of him. Anvar stepped back, about to apologize, but she talked before he could. “You can keep a secret, can’t you?” The princess said. Anvar blinked in surprise. “Please don’t tell my mother or anyone else you’ve seen me here! I’m supposed to be sleeping, you see?” She rambled on, wincing slightly.

“Uhmm, sure. But why are you here then?” He blinked again. “Your Majesty.”

Now she just looked awkward. “There’s no need to call me that when my mother isn’t near. I never liked it,” she said, “aaannndddd,” she sat down, folding her tail gracefully over her talons, “I just needed to get out of the palace. It’s suffocating.” He could tell that there was more to her story, but he also didn’t expect a PRINCESS to tell him her deepest secrets and thoughts. He could technically get the answers out of her mind… but he found himself unable to do that.

“Then I think you’ve come to the right place,” he stated, spreading one of his wings to indicate the Garden blooming all around them.

Noticing her staring at the starry pattern under his large wings, he quickly pressed it tightly against his back. “My father was a hybrid. NightWing and SkyWing.”

Much to his surprise, she didn’t seem bothered by that. Instead, her eyes lit up as if she had just discovered something rare and wonderful. “Oh, then you must be Anvar! The Animus dragon!”

“That’s me,” he replied, glancing away from her eyes. He was afraid he might burn otherwise.

‘Anvar the Animus’ was how a lot of dragons called him and stares followed him around wherever he went. He was the first LavaWing Animus in generations after all. Even though a feeling told him that would change in a few decades. Something flashed through his mind. A vision, he knew. Of dragons just like him, born with power in their talons. But the vision wasn’t very clear and it faded away before he could get a good look at their features. “I’ve studied Animus magic but never met one before!” Princess Titania’s voice bought him back to reality. “They say that you can also read minds and see the future, is that true?” But before he could answer her face dropped. “Oh, that’s probably a personal question. I shouldn’t have asked that.”

“It’s fine really, but yes. I indeed can.”

At the widening of her eyes, he quickly added. “But I haven’t read yours so don’t worry!”

“I wouldn’t have minded if you did. I don’t really have many secrets,” she said, adjusting her wings.

Somehow Anvar didn’t believe that. Every dragon had secrets, whether they might realize it themselves or not. “Why are you here?” She asked him, tilting her head and seeming genuinely curious.

“I really like the Garden. It’s just so different from the mainlands. I always come here during the night, when it’s quieter,” he told her. Looking around he spotted a white flower. Walking over, he gently pulled it free and presented it to the princess. “Here.” Her eyes widened slightly, but she took the flower and placed it behind her ear.

“You don’t sleep then?” She asked him as they started walking down the path as if following a silent agreement.

“Oh, I can never sleep during the night. I’m always wide awake then.” He replied, facing forward and blinking when vines caught in his horns. He shook himself free and the princess laughed.

“So you’re nocturnal? Like a NightWing?”

“I’ve never met any NightWings to be sure, but kind of. I always go to sleep a few hours before sunrise and awake again during the middle of the day. Somehow I don’t need that much sleep.” He scratched his ear awkwardly, sidestepping a few pointy rocks. Anvar walked up a hill and sat down, gazing up at the thousands of stars stretching out above the two dragons.

“Oh wow!” Princess Titania stood up on her hind legs and stretched her wings wide. As if she could pull the stars close. “They’re beautiful,” she added. Anvar looked at her instead of up at the stars, and he found that she shone brighter than the moons.

_He was fucked, acting all molten-hearted towards Royalty_.

“You’ve never seen the stars before?”

She shook her head, her gaze still scanning the stars. It was like she wanted to imprint the image forever in her mind. “Not so many in one place. They aren’t this visible from my room in the palace.”

“It’s not always like this. Tonight is just a clear night. Most of the time the sky is covered with ash and dark clouds from the volcano.” Anvar quickly pulled his gaze up, afraid that she might catch him staring. He folded his tail tightly around himself as if that would prevent him from trembling like a leaf caught in a storm. “Why did you decide to come to the Garden?” He asked.

“I’ve been here before a few times with my guards. I guess I just really wanted to see it during the night as well, and it’s just as beautiful.” She said dreamily, laying down on the grass without looking away from the stars above.

“Are you sure you should be sneaking out of the palace? Isn’t that…” he trailed off.

“Dangerous?” Titania finished with an arched eyebrow, finally looking at him and standing up to her full height. In the light of the stars, the green in her eyes was clearly visible now as they shone with surprising fierceness. The pale flower he had given her was clearly visible against her darker scales. “I know how to defend myself and I know the way around. I just don’t need guards watching me every second of the day. I want to follow my own life and not regret anything when I’m old and look back at the things I’ve done.” She pulled up her snoot regally, and looking as fierce as she did now, she looked every inch the Royal LavaWing she was. “I’m also just a dragon with hopes and dreams… something which everyone seems to forget. All they see when looking at me is that I’m the only daughter of the Queen and thus need protecting all the time no matter how often I tell them not to!”

An outburst like this was the last thing Anvar expected. He put a charming smile on his face. “Looking as fierce as you do now, I’m sure that no one will dare to even as much as touch you.” He nodded. “You can clearly take care of yourself, yes. I’m sorry for doubting you earlier.” He hung his head ever so slightly.

“You’re the first one who agrees with me,” the princess whispered. She looked as she did early; as if she discovered something new and wonderful. As if she was intrigued by him. Anvar looked up again, perking his ears. Princess Titania nodded. “I think we might become good friends.”

Anvar’s heart sank, wondering if he just got friend-zoned by this wonderful dragoness. “Yeah,” he agreed. He would rather be friend-zoned forever than lose his chance to see her again.

And it might not be forever, he would find a way to win over her heart.


	5. Traitorous thoughts

Life was going great. Fantastic, actually.

Anvar glanced down at the beautiful dragon next to him, who looked rather happy to be nestled under his wing. She looked up at him and poked his arm. “You’re really not going to tell me?” Titania asked.

“Nope. So you can stop trying to get it out of me,” he replied, entwining their tails and pulling up his snout as if to imitate her mother.

Titania pulled away from next to him and jumped before him. “Come on, Anvar. It’s Animus magic! Of course I want to know this ‘super special and secretive’ way you’ve discovered to protect your soul from its effects forever!” She exclaimed, dramatically flaring out her star-speckled wings.

“I swear, you would make a terrific scientist with that curiosity.” He noted. A charming grin on his face

She whacked him in the face with her wings. “Don’t try to change the subject, you snow-snorter. Just tell me. I am your wife and princess.” She stated, narrowing her purple-green eyes at him.

“Well, Your Majesty, perhaps we should hurry so we’re not too late for dinner with our families.” He dismissed. Titania’s eyes narrowed further and he knew he would get an earful later today, but she still seemed to agree with him for they ended up flying towards the palace. Anvar led the way, easily able to maneuver around the rocks with his large wings. Yet he didn’t went as fast as he normally would so that Titania would be able to keep up. After a while the palace came in sight and Anvar landed before the entrance, the guards jumping back with bared fangs until they recognized him - and the Princess who landed next to him - and hurried away with a bow.

“Oh, we _are_ late,” Titania said, hurrying inside. Anvar made sure to follow after her, knowing that Titania - having grown up here - knew the way better than him either way. “I hope Mother won’t be too furious at us.” They both winced. Queen Coulee was often kind and reasonable, unless you got her mad. As if an unspoken promise passed between them they sped up their pace. They would have flown, but the hallways were too small for a dragon to fly through and they couldn’t wiggle through the windows. A few servants jumped out of their way, exclamations of ‘Princess’ following them, and Anvar’s eyes stayed focused on a Titania’s tail, he wasn’t about to let her out of his sight and get lost in the palace.

They skipped to a stop next to the large door leading to the dinner room - voices were heard on the other side - and Titania took a second to adjust her wings and spines before stepping inside. The voices stopped as she did so. Anvar took a deep breath to fill his lungs with some much needed air before he stepped into the room as well. He blinked against the light that came from the flowing lava before he focused on the LavaWing Queen. A scowl was on her face and Anvar forced himself not to cower before her piercing gaze. “So the younglings finally decide to grace us with their presence,” Queen Coulee said, swiping her tail. Her husband, the King, sat by her side. And Anvar’s own mother, Brightflame, was seated on the table as well. Brightflame arched an eyebrow their way, Anvar avoided her searching eyes.

“I’m terribly sorry, Mother,” Titania spoke, lightly bowing her head in respect. “Please forgive us for being late. I have no excuse.”

The Queen sighed. “Don’t let it happen again. Just sit down and no more about it.”

The younger dragons hurried towards their seats, before Anvar could sit down the Queen turned towards him with a frown. “Anvar, you will sit next to me. There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.” She said. Anvar blinked in surprise but complied, moving a few seats to sit next to the LavaWing Queen instead, and right in front of the King who sat at her other side. The King gave him an encouraging smile before turning to talk to his daughter who went to sit next to him.

With his own mother on his other side, Anvar glanced towards Queen Coulee, wondering what she wanted to ask him. A small pang of fear went through him, wondering if this cunning ruler had somehow found out. He quickly dismissed the thought, he had been sure to be careful so there was no way. “The two of you missed the appetizers, so you just have to go without it,” she said. Titania grinned almost sheepish and nodded, the movement making the light reflect off the golden rings she wore around her horns.

“Your Majesty,” Anvar asked after a while, the Queen looked at him, “what is it you wanted to ask me?”

“Ah yes,” Queen Coulee spoke. Anvar tried to reach her mind but it was still nearly impossible to read the Queen’s thoughts. He was aware though, of the King and his mother listening in. “As you know you are our first Animus dragons in generations and the latest peace negotiations with the IceWings didn’t went so well. I’m also not sure I fully trust the NightWings...” This time Anvar did caught something from her mind, an image of an IceWing Princess’ cold glare. He could see now where this was going. “The distrust between our tribes has started up again and we might need your magic to enchant armor and weaponry against their natural weapons. I fear another war might be on our doorstep.”

Titania winced and Anvar glanced towards her. Titania had been present during those negotiations and had told him about it. She had met one of the IceWings present, a pale pink IceWing called Icicle, and according to Titania, Icicle wasn’t so bad. Anvar wasn’t sure if they could be considered friends, but for Titania’s sake he hoped that at least Icicle made it home safely towards the frozen wastelands where the IceWings lived.

“Will you lend us your magic?” The Queen asked. Anvar looked back at her. Queen Coulee’s gaze softened ever so slightly. “I will not force you to use your magic. The choice will be yours.”

“I think I can help. A few enchantments won’t hurt.”

The Queen and King looked pleased at that. His mother mainly looked worried, even though Anvar knew her well enough to know she wouldn’t say anything about it in front of the Queen. He glanced towards Titania and met her eyes, she mainly looked thoughtful. Around that time dinner got served and Anvar moved his huge wings out of the way of the servants who went to place the food before the gathered dragons. Titania smiled at them while her mother ignored it and said a few things to her husband. Anvar ignored the impulse to pull a face at his served food. He knew perfectly well that LavaWings liked their food completely burned - he was half LavaWing after all - but he personally preferred it cooked throughout. Just like his father. He moved the rocks out of the way - his stomach wouldn’t be able to digest it - and slowly went to much on his too crunchy meal.

He glanced towards the Queen, thinking about what she had told him. He didn’t mind helping his tribe… but that did mean he had to up his game to sustain his soul. He knew the risks that came with the usage of magic, his own father had nearly succumbed to it before meeting his mother, and Anvar was not about to go down that same path. He would be better than his father and all the Animus dragons that came before them. He would safe the magic.

But he did need to find more powerful souls to do that.

A dangerous thought entered his mind and he was really glad that there weren’t any other mindreaders in the tribe.

_How much is your soul worth, Your Majesty_?


	6. Descent into darkness

_”I enchant this rock to make any weapon it touches completely immune towards frost breath.”_

Anvar handed the rock over towards another LavaWing. Many had gathered to see the Animus work and use his magic, and Anvar found it almost comedical to see the disappointment on their expressions and in their minds. What did they expect? A strange glow, or perhaps an ominous wind? “This should do it,” he told one of the soldiers, who then proceeded to touch the rock against nearly every weapon and armor he found. In their own war, the tribe was preparing for war.

Turning around, he pushed his way through the gathered crowd who parted for him. He still had some time left for himself before he would meet up with Titania, and he was about to make it count. Running into another dragon, he coldly glared at the dragonet for standing in his way until she ran away in a hurry. He spread out his wings with a snort and pushed himself off. He could walk, but flying was faster. And he was faster than any other LavaWing - no one could keep up with him.

He flew over the village, passing many dragons as he went until he reached his destination. His home. He poked his head inside and listened. Titania wasn’t home yet, which was perfect. He moved towards his secret back room and opened it, before stepping inside and proceeding to move past his security until he reached the last door made from living butterflies. Enchanted to keep on living throughout the torture and pain that was their lives. He occasionally changed their coloring with a little spell; today they were midnight blue and deep violet. He pushed past the butterfly curtain, tiny wings fluttering against his scales as he could sense nothing but terror and pain from the tiny animals. But he wouldn’t free them from their suffering. He would never do that.

Pale light that was trapped inside numerous bottles reflected off his starry underside and wings as he grinned, stepping further into the room and finding humor in the way the souls reacted to his presence. Some furiously pushed against their prison - as if they could actually damage him - while others tried to cower away from him. Many were from the IceWings and NightWings who were stupid enough to cross his path, but there were also other tribes among them. Anvar carefully picked up one of them and held it close to his eyes. “Already given up, Your Majesty?” He purred sweetly.

The soul vibrated angrily. If she was still in her body, Anvar knew for a fact she would have tried to fire her frost breathe on his face. How much the IceWing Queen would be willing to pay for the release of her daughter’s soul. But too badly for them he wasn’t interested in gold and jewels. “Of course you haven’t,” he answered his own question, “if you already did you wouldn’t have been so valuable. But even you will break in the end.”

He put the bottle back in its place and took another. This one was also an IceWing. One who was with the princess when he caught them. One IceWing had gotten away, but so be it. He shook the bottle and watched the soul within getting pushed around like a rag doll. Then he opened the bottle and gulped the soul down like he was a man lost in the desert and had finally found some water, missing the sound of talonsteps in the tunnel. The soul’s life force flickered away and got absorbed by his own, making him feel a flicker of warmth and seeing small flashes of the dragon’s life in the frozen wastelands. “IceWings. Always such a particular taste, but it will do just fine,” he muttered, tossing the now empty bottle aside and flickering his forked tongue over his fangs.

“Anvar, _what is this_?”

He froze and turned around slowly to face Titania in the doorway. The purple dragon stood frozen, looking around with wide eyes and trying to progress what she was seeing. Anvar was by her side in seconds and spread out his wings, shielding her view of her room. “How did you get in, Ti?” He casually asked, keeping his voice even.

Titania’s eyes narrowed; Anvar noted that her eyes really resembled green fire at the moment, about to unleash destruction at an unsuspecting world. “You left the door open,” Anvar mentally slammed his head through a wall, “and don’t you dare call me ‘Ti’ right now,” she hissed, bristling up her spines. “Just tell me what’s going on. Please.”

“Just a new hobby. I’m collecting bottles,” he shrugged.

“Then why are you being so secretive about it,” she fired back. Anvar tried reaching for her mind but slammed against a concrete wall. Titania’s mind was protected in the same way as her mother’s. Those burning eyes pinned him down, looking through his scales and flesh at what was within. “The IceWing attacks have been more frequent lately, as if something agitated them. And Icicle told me that their Princess was death and something about a single IceWing who had returned, mumbling about bottles and souls. What. Did. You. Do? Are you stealing souls?”

Anvar flattened his ears and hissed once. “The IceWings are our enemies. We’re at war, Titania. They’re just IceWings and I did my tribe a favor.” He explained calmly, not understanding what all the fuss was about. He was protecting his own soul _and_ taking care of the enemies of the LavaWings. Titania should praise him and tell him how brilliant his plan was, not _this_.

Titania narrowed her eyes. “At the end of the day all of the tribes are just dragons. We’re all dragons and we are all alive and share this world together. Your actions will lead to only more death and violence. And then the war will never stop,” some smoke sissled out from between her bared fangs. “You’re the one with the magic. Instead of using it to take and destroy, use it to give and create.”

“And what do you expect me to do? Make it rain fish so everybody can eat?!” Anvar roared, spines bristled up all the way.

Titania carefully took his talons in her own. “Just stop,” she almost pleaded him. “You are not like this. Please don’t use your magic this way. It’s not working. Just promise me that you will stop.”

They looked at each other unblinking. Anvar studied her face, realizing that a lot depended on his answer. He didn’t need to read the future to be able to tell. He slowly nodded. “Very well,” he agreed. Titania’s face was unreadable except for a small flash of relief.

_She believes me. She actually believes me_!

He didn’t enjoy lying to her, but it was for the best. It all worked best if she thought he did as was asked of him. She didn’t need to know he wasn’t planning on stopping anytime soon. Once he had fixed his soul she just HAD to admit that his plan was brilliant all along. He just had to be more careful from now on - and definitely NOT forget to close the door. They left Anvar’s not-so-secret-anymore Soul Chamber in silence as Titania kept her wings tightly wrapped around herself, as if meaning to protect something.

Anvar frowned something as he noticed that she kept looking down. “Are you alright?”

Titania gave him a look. “It’s nothing,” she said while covering up her stomach with her wings, “don’t worry about it.”


End file.
